Tower indicator



R. C. LEAKE TOWER INDICATOR Filed July 7, 1919 /fff Y m B R r s ,t om E- .Il E N u m 2 H @S Patented July 29, T224.

PATENT RICHARD C. LEAKE, OE ROCHESTER, NEVI YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW'YOR-K.

TOWER NDICATOR.

Application filed July 7',

To all whom if may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD C. LEAKE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Tower Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to in dicating relays, which are commonly termed-tower indicators or annunciators according to their use, and which are used in railway signaling to indicate the position or condition of a distant device, such as a signal, track relay, or the like.

.One object of this invention is to improve the construction of such indicating relays by employing' a few'simple parts which can be cheaply manufactured and assembled, by making provision for adjustment to com pensate for the slight inacruracies in the size, shape and alignment of parts occurring in ordinary commercial manufacture, and by constructing and arranging the parts of the operating mechanism so that it may be readily converted to provide for any one ofthe various indications commonly employed in such devices.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invent-ion progrosses, and the novel fea-tures thereof will be particularly pointed yout in the appended claims. g

In describing the invention in detail, refierence will be made to the accon'ipanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which: A

Figure l is a vertical section taken substantially through the center of an indicator embodying my invention, lsome of the parts being shown in elevation for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the linoJ 2 2 in F ig. l viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows a;

F 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line in F ig. l viewed in the direction indicated by. the arrows I); and v F ig. Zl. is a fragmentary view of the front of the indicator and shows a preferred form of indicator blade.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, rI have shown-it applied to a relay of usual and well known-construction. This 1919. Serial No. 309,208.

relay comprises the usual pair of coils 1 1, with a. back strap 2, and pole pieces 3 fastened to a coil support 4t, all of these parts being supported by the top plate 5 of the usual relay casing. The armature 6 of the relay is pivotally supported at one edge to downwardly extending lugs 7 integral with coil support 4L, suitable' contact fingers 8 being fastened to the armature 6 and adapted to cooperate with the usual fixed contact posts.

The indicator embodying my invention is housed in a suitable casing G (see Fig. l), which is provided with detachable side plates 9 and is secured to the back strap 2of` the relay in any convenient manner, as by screws l() threaded into tapped holes in said back strap 2. The front end of the indicator casing' is formed with a flanged plate ll, preferably circular in shape, which constitutes the background for the indicator blade .12, said plate 1l; being provided with the usual. glass* roundel 13 held in place by a bezel ring 14: fastenedv to the casing by screws. The indicator blade l2, illustrated as a miniature semaphore, is riveted -to one end of a horizontal shaft l5 which is journaled in bushings supported by the casing G, as shown in F igs. l and 2. Suitable stop pins l2a in the plate 11 limit the movement of the indicator 1.2. This shaft l5 is provided with two parallel discs 16, preferably formed integral with said shaft, having a plurality of sets of aligned holes, designated A., B, C, and D, drilled therein eccentrically with the axis of said shafty (see Fig'. for a purpose hereinafter explained. A link l? is loosely connected at one end between said discs by means of a pin 18 passing through one set of said holes, and at its other end by mea-nsof a pin 19 to the bifurcated jaw 2O of a counteibalanced rocking lever 2l. The jaw 20 is wide (see Fig. 3), and a spacing sleeve 22 is mounted on the pin 19 between said link 17 and one side of the jaw 20. This rockingr lever 2l is pivotally supported near its other end in lugs 23 formed integral with the base of the indicator casing G. f y

gThe rocking lever 21 is operated by an up-and-down rod 24e, the upper end of which lits loosely in a recess in one end of an adjusting screw 25 threaded into a tapped hole in said rocking lever, said screw being provided with a clamping or lock nut 26.

or danger position.

The rod 24 extends downward inside of a protecting` tube 27 and through the adjustable residual screw 2S, and rests at the lower end on the4 armature 3. The up-anddown rod 24- is guided at its upper end by the adjusting screw 25 in the rocking lever 2l., and at its lower end by the. residual screw 28. 'The residual screw 28 is provided with a slot, so that when the indieating` mechanism is removed, this screw may be adjusted to vary the air gap of the armature 6 by av screw driver or similar tool of appropriate shape.

lith the relay Cle-energized, the parts of the indicator assume the positions shown in Figure 1, and the indicator blade 12 is in the Zero degree or danger position. lVhen the relay is energized, and its armature 6 is attracted, the up-and-down rod 24 is forced upward by said armature and raises the lever 21. VVit-h the link 17 connected to the discs 16 on the shaft 15 as shown in' Fig. 3, this movement of the lever 21 causes the indicator 12 to move in a counterclockwise direction to its 90 degree or clear position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. then the` relay is again cle-energized, its armature 6 returns by its own weight to its lower position, shown in Fig. 1; and the lever 21, being biased to the lower position, returns the indicator 12 to its horizontal The up-and-down rod 24 merely rests upon the upper face of the armature 6, so that said armature is free to drop as soon as the energizing current is cut off. and can not be held in its upper position by the binding or sticking of any operating parts of the indicator. By adjusting the screw 25, compensation may be made for slight inaccuracies occurring in ordinary manufacture, such as variations in the movement of the armature 6, which is adjusted by the residual screw 28 for the most eliicient performance and which will vary somewhat in the various relays,

The aspects or indications of the indicating relay used in practice are often different, according to the particular application of the relay and the preference of the user. Sometimes an indicator movingl from the Zero degree or horizontal position to the 90 degree or vertical position in the upper righthand quadrant is desired, and sometimes a 45 degree movement, or a 60 degree movement, in this upper righthand quadrant or some one of the other quadrants. One important feature of my invention is the provision which is made to permitthe various parts of my indicating relay to be readily adjusted or assembled, without adding or substituting different parts, so as to give any one of 'the various indications in the several quadrants commonly required. ln the arrangement shown in the drawing, the indicator 12 moves from the Zero to the 90 degree position in the upper righthand quadrant. To obtain a movement of the indicator 12 from the Zero to 45 degree position in the same quadrant, the connection in the upperr end of the link 17 is changed from the holes A in the disc-s 16 to the holes B (see Fig. The holes B in the discs 16 are at a greater radial distance. from the axis of the shaft 15. so that for the same movement of the` rocking lever 21 and the resultant vertical movement of the link 17, a smaller angular movement of the shaft 15 will be obtained. The holes B may be located so as to obtain a 45 degree movement of the indicator without changing the movement of the rocking lever 21, but l find it expedient and preferable to locate the holes B so as to obtain a movement of the shaft 15 averaging between 45 and 60 degrees; and with this particular location of the sets of holes B, the adjusting screw 25 must also be backed off to shorten the throw of the link 17, as well as shifting the connect-ion of said link to the sets of holes B, in order to obtain a 45 degree movement of the indicator. A 60 degree movement of the indicator in the upper righthand quadrant is obtained by adjusting the screw 25 with the` upper end of the link 17 connected to the set of holes B. Similar 90 degree, 45 degree, or 6() degree movements of the indicator may be obtained in the lower lefthand quadrant by connecting the link 17 to the set of holes A or B, as the. case may be, and by adjusting the nut 25 accordingly, the indicator 12 and the stop pins 12e being of course changed to correspond. For indications in the upper lefthand quadrant and the lower rightliand quadrant, the upper end of the link 17 is connected with the sets of holes C` or D, as the case may be, and the lower end of this link is shifted over the other side of the spacing sleeve 22 (see Fig adjustments being made corresponding to those just described in connection with the upper righthand and the lower lefthand quadrants. This universal feature of my indicating relay is an important characteristic of my invention, since it facilitates the manufacture of an indicating relay to meet different specifications and requirements, and also makes it possible to readily change over an indicating relay already in service so as to get any other indication or aspect desired. It will be observed that different indications in the same quadrant may be obtained with a relay in service by adjustment only, while it may be necessar7 to position the indicator o-n the shaft properly for changeover into another quadrant.

Another important feature of my invention is the fact that the mechanism of the indicator may be applied to an ordinary relay, without. requiring change in the conl'lO struction of the relay, or modifying its reliable and effective operation. lThus, in commercial manufacturing, a standard relay, suitable for a `track relay `or line relay may be constructed, and this relay in lturn converted into a tower indicator or `annunciator by attaching to it the few and simple parts, constituting the indicator and its operating mechanism.

Although I have particularly described the construction of one physical embodiment of my invention, and explained the operation and principle thereof, nevertheless, I desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention. j

That I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. In an indicating relay having a movable yarmature, an up-and-down rod resting upon said armature and raised by the attraction thereof, a bia-sed rocking lever actuated by said rod, and indicating means movable from one indicating position to another in a vertical plane and operatively connected to said rocking ever, said rod being guided by said rocking lever.

2. In an indicating relay having a movable armature, an up-anddown rod resting at its lower end upon said armature, a biased rocking lever having a pocket in which said rod is adapte-d to rest, a shaft, an indicator attached to said shaft, and means connecting said rocking lever and said shaft.

- 3. In an indicating relay having a movable armature, an up-and-down rod resting at its lower end upon said armature, a biased rocking lever including a main portion and an adjustable operative connection engaging the upper end of said rod, an indicator shaft, and a link for `operatively connecting' Ithe rocking lever and said shaft, whereby the indicator shaft may be rocked in response to movement of said armature and its relation to said armature may be varied by changing the relation of the adjustable portion of said rocking lever engaging the upper end ofsaid rod to that of the main portion of said rocking lever.

l. In an indicating relay having a movable armature, a shaft, an indicator attached to said shaft, a biased rocking lever operatively connec-ted to the armature of the relay, a link pivoltally connected at one end to said rocking lever, and means on the shaft adapted to permit connection of the other end of said link at different points eccentric wi-th the axis of the shaft and on opposite sides thereof, whereby the parts may be adjusted to cause the shaft and indicator to move through different angles and in either direction when the armature is attracted.

5. In an indicating relay having a movable armature, an up-and-down rod resting at its lower end upon an arma-ture of the relay, a biased rocking lever having adjustable means cooperating with the upper end of said rod, a link pivotally connected at one end to said roc-king lever, and means on the shaft permitting pivotal connection of the other end of said link at different radial distances from the axis of the shaft and on opposite sides thereof.

6. In an indicating relay having a movable armature, a biased rocking lever operatively connected to the armature of the relay, an indicator shaft, a member secure-d to said shaft and having a plurality of holes therein located at different distances from the axis of the shaft and on opposite sides thereof, and a link pivotally connectedat one end to the rocking lever and at its other end to said member in one of the holes there-in.

7. In an indicating relay having a movable armature, an upand-down rod resting upon the armature, a biased rocking lever having an adjusting screw therein, said screw having a recess in its end receiving the upper end of said rod, an indicator shaft, parallel discs integral with said shaft and having a plurality of sets of aligned holes therein located at different distances from the axis of the shaft and on opposite sides thereof, and a link pivotally connect-ed at one end to the rocking lever and provided at its other end with a pin adapted to be inserted in any one of said sets of holes.

S. An indicating relay comprisingl a pair of coils and a movable armature, an upand-down rod disposed vertically between said coils and resting upon the armature, an indicator casing supported above said coils, a movableinldicator in the casing and visible from the outside thereof, and biased operating means supported by and inclosed in the casing operatively connected to the indicator and engaging the upper end of said rod for causing movement of the indicator when said rod is raised and lowered by the movement of the armature to the attracted and retracted position respectively.

9. An indicating relay comprising an indicator movable in a vertical plane, a horizontal shaft for moving the indicator, an armature, a vertically movable rod resting on the armature, and biasedmeans operatively connected to said shaft and bearing against the upper end of said rod for rocking the shaft as the rod is raised and returning the shaft as the rod is lowered, said means including two separate adjustable connections of which one serves to take up lost motion and the other facilitates varying the extent of movement of said shaft with respect to said rod.

10. An indicator attachment for relays comprising a casing' having a glass covered background, a horizontal shaft supported in the casing, an indicator movable with said shaft, a movable member in the casing, and adjustable means connecting said member and shaft and permitting the shaft and indicator to move through different angles and in either direction for the same movement of said member.

11; An indicating relay comprising a movable armature, an indicator movable in a vertical plane, and biased means for operatively connecting` the armature and indi.- cator, said means being adjustable to change the extent and direction of movement of the indicator.

12. An indicating relay comprising a movable armature, a hollow adjustable residual pin for said armature, an indicator, and means including a rod guided in said residual pin for operatively connecting the indicator and said armature.

1S. An indicating relay comprising an armature supported for up-and-down movement, a horizontal shaft, an indicator movable with the shaft, a vertically movable operating` member adapted to rest on said armature. and means operatively connecting said shaft and member, said means being adjustable to cause the shaft to move through different angles` and in different directions for the same movement of the operating member.

14. An indicating relay comprising a lower casing containing an armature and contact fingers, an upper casing containing an indicator and biased operating means therefor, an up-and-down rod operatively connecting the armature and said operating means, and a tube connecting said two casings and surrounding said rod.4

15. lIn an indicating attachment for relays of the conventional tractive type used in railway signaling, the combination with the casing of the relay, the pair of cores and the coils thereon extending above said casing, the tilting armature within the casing attracted by the lower ends of said cores, of an enclosed indicator casing supported wholly by the upper ends of the cores and provided with a background and a cover glass, a horizontal shaft supported. within the indicator casing and projecting through the background, an indicator fastened to the projecting end of said shaft, a rocking lever pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis within the indicator casing and biased to one extreme position, means operatively connecting said lever and said shaft to cause rotation of the shaft as the lever is tilted, an up-and-down rod extending vertically from the indicator casing to the relay ca-sing and resting at its lower end upon the relay armature, the upper end of said rod engaging the roc-king lever and acting to shift it froml its biased position when the relay armatureiiis attracted.

16. In an indicating attachment for relays of the type described, the combination with the tilting' armature of the relay, of an up-and-down rod resting at its lower end on said armature near its free edge, a horizontally disposed shaft supported above the armature, an indicator fastened to said shaft, a biased rocking lever arranged to be tilted from its biased position by the upward movement of said rod, and means operatively connecting said lever and shaft to cause turningof the shaft as said lever is tilted, said means being adjustable to vary the extent or direction of movement of the shaft for the same movement of the lever.

R101-lia RD C. LEAKE. 

